Crutch



Aug. 19, 1947. n J, Q WATTERS 2,4;6,074

`CRUTCH J c'. Waff-e758 INVENTOR.

, BY Ja i Patented Aug. 19, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CRUTCH- Joseph Crampton Watters, Atlanta,.Ga. Application October 12, 1945,. Serial No..621,9,60

4.. Claims;

This invention relates to crutches and it is more especially an improvement upon the structure disclosed in my copending application filed August 13, 1945, Serial No. 610,454.

In structures of this type it is desirable that the means employed for locking the parts firmly together after the desired adjustment has been obtained, be easy to operate and at the same time positive in action. It is also important that this locking-means be of simple construction and few parts so that it will not readily get out of order asa. result of frequent handling.

An object of the present invention is to provid-e. all of the desirable characteristics above mentioned.

With the foregoing and other objects inA View which will appear vas the description proceeds, theinvention consists ofv certain novel details lof construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed and pointed out in the claims, it being understood'that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred formof the invention has been shown.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation, of a crutch having the present improvements associated therewith.

Figure 2 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation and showing the locking means on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a section online 3*-3; Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4 4, Fig. 2.

Referring to the gures by characters of reference, I designates the lower cross-head of the crutch which, in the present instance, can be formed. of a solid. block of` suitable meta-1 in the end portions lof which are anchored theA lower ends of the parallel side members 2 of the upper section of the crutch. These members are joined at their upper ends by a shoulder rest 3 and also carry a handle 4. The lower member of the crutch can be in the form of a single length of strong members of pipe mounted for longitudinal adjustment within the cross-head and extending between and parallel with the members 2.

The present invention includes a sleeve 6 which is in screw threaded engagement with the crosshead I, this sleeve being mounted in a screw threaded opening 1 extending through the center of the cross-head. The sleeve, after being inserted into the opening 1 is locked against rotation by a key 8 inserted in matching grooves 9 and I0 formed in the cross-head and sleeve re- 55 spectively; The lower end of the sleeve projects below the cross-head and is tapered, as shown at I-I.V Longitudinal slits I2 are provided in this tapered portion lao-permit contraction of the end of the sleeveV when; engaged by a binding nur, I3, the opening` in which has a tapered surface It forr'engaging theY tapered end` of the sleeve. Obviously by turning the nut in one direction the tapered end I4 will clamp upon the member 5 so as to gripit securely;

The cross-head is formed on its upper surface with a circular; upstandingfange I5 concentric with the openingv 1 and forming a cylindrical socket-- I6. Formed on the inner surface of the flange at the upper edge thereof and at diametrically opposed points are arcuate retaining ribs I1 spaced apartv at their ends.

A- collar- I8 is slidably'mounted on the member 5Y and is provided with a reduced end I9 proport-ionedfor insertion between the ribs I1 and, into the socket I6. on its outer surface so proportioned and located that, when the collar is moved in the direction of theA cross-head I; the ribs 20 can pass between the ribs I1 and thereafter, by rotating the collar, these ribs 2D will assume positions in lapped relation with` the ribs I1, thereby holding the collar ZGBagainst withdrawal from the socket I 6. Collar Il!Y is externallyy screw threaded as at 2I and is provided with a counterbore 22 at its outer end. This` counterbore car-ries a sleeve 23 which is iirmly seated therein. The sleeveprojects outwardly from collar I 8- and has a tapered end 24 provided-with longitudinal slits 25; This tapered endv of the. sleeve is adjustably engaged bythe tapered bore 26 in aclamping nut 21 andit will be noted that the andscrew threaded soA as to adjustably engage thethreaded portion of the collar I8.

In practice the nuts I3 and 21 are loosened. This will permit member 5 to be quickly shifted to any position relative to the members 2 and the cross-head I until a crutch of desired length has been obtained. Thereafter the collar I8 and sleeve 23 are slid along the member 5 until the ribs '20 are brought into position within the socket I6. This movement of the sleeve I8 into the socket I6 can be limited by an' annular shoulder 29 on the collar, as will be noted by referring to Fig. 2. With the parts thus arranged the nut 21 is tightened on collar I 8 so as to contract the tapered end of the sleeve 23 and cause it to bind tightly upon the member 5, the frictional contact of the co1- lar I8 on the member 5 being suicient to prevent rotation of the collar, while the nut 21 is be- This collar has spaced ribs 20' nutis counterbored as at 28- ing turned to tighten the collar. Thus collar I8 is xedly joined to the member at the point where it is to be maintained thereafter as long as the crutch is used by the particular person for whom it has been adjusted.

Following this adjustment the member 5 can be rotated to disengage ribs from underneath ribs I'I and thereafter the member 5 can be pulled longitudinally so that the tip at the lower end thereof will be brought close to the cross-head I and the member 5 will be held almost entirely within the upper member of the crutch'. Thus the crutch can be compactly stored and can be supported by the user where it will not interfere with him or with others while he is seated. When it is desired to use the crutch al1 that is necessary is to slide the member 5 downwardly until th'e stop shoulder 29 engages the rib I'I and until the ribs 20 are brought into the socket I6. This is as far as the member 5 can be slid without further adjustment. As soon. as the member 5 has been brought to this position, thereby elongating the crutch, said member 5 is given a slight turn suiiicient to bring the ribs 20 directly under the ribs I1 so that collar I8 th'us is locked to the flange I5. Nut I3 is then adjusted along sleeve 6 so as to bind the lower end of the sleeve as tightly as desired upon the member 5.

It is preferred to maintain the nut I3 slightly spaced from cross-head I so as to compensate for wear upon the parts.

After the crutch has been elongated as described and locked in its elongated position it can be employed for properly supporting the user and after it has served its purpose it can be collapsed and stored by him in the manner already explained.

It has been found'in practice that this crutch can be made very light of strong metal alloys and, therefore, will not become a burden to the user because of its weight.

What is claimed is:

l. A crutch, the combination with an upper member having a cross-head, a socket portion carried by the cross-head, of a sleeve within and extending from the cross-head, a lower member slidably and rotatably mounted within the sleeve, means adjustably mounted on the sleeve for contracting said sleeve upon and gripping the lower member, and means adjustably mounted on the lower member and normally clamped thereto for detachably engaging the socket portion.

2. A crutch, the combination of an upper section having a cross-head, a guide sleeve within and extending from the cross-head, and a socket portion on the cross-head, of a lower member slidably and rotatably mounted in the sleeve, means carried by the sleeve for gripping the lower member, a collar mounted for sliding and rotating movement on the lower member, cooperating means on the collar and socket portion for detachably connecting said collar to the socket portion when subjected to relative rotation, and means carried by the collar for holding said collar against movement relative to the lower member.

3. A crutch, the combination of an upper section having a cross-head, a guide sleeve Within and extending from the cross-head, and a socket portion on the cross-head, of a lower member slidably and rotatably mounted in the sleeve, means carried by the sleeve for gripping the lower member, a collar mounted for sliding and rotating movement on the lower member, cooperating means on the collar and socket portion for detachably connecting said collar to the socket portion when subjected to relative rotation, said cooperating means including opposed spaced internal ribs on the socket member and opposed spaced ribs on the collar, said ribs lof the collar being insertable between the ribs and the socket member and movable to position thereunder, and means carried by the collar for clamping said collar to the lower member.

4. A crutch, the combination of an upper section having a cross-head, a guide sleeve within and extending from the cross-head, and a socket portion on the cross-head, of a lower member slidably and rotatably mounted in the sleeve, means carried by the sleeve for gripping the lower member, a collar mounted for sliding and rotating movement on the lower member, cooperating means on the collar and socket portion for detachably connecting said collar to the socket portion when subjected to relative rotation, said cooperating means including opposed spaced internal ribs on the socket member and opposed spaced ribs on the collar, said ribs of the collar being insertable between the ribs and the socket member and movable to position thereunder, means carried by the collar for clamping said collar to the lower member said last named means including a slit tapered sleeve extending from the collar and surrounding the lower member, and a binding nut adjustably engaging the collar and having a tapered portion engaging the tapered portion of the sleeve on the collar.

JOSEPH CRAMIPTON WA'I'IERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,172,047 Jacobucci Sept. 5, 1939 2,264,015 Bennett Nov. 25, 1941 2,373,045 Osborn Apr. 3, 1945 

